William (Tom) Holderby passed from this life into eternity on Sunday, February 7th, in the presence of his wife and children in their winter home of Tarpon Springs, Florida. Tom had led an active, full life of nearly 94 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Victoria Holderby; his sister, Dorothy (Gene) Miller; and his brother, Allen Holderby. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Constance Holderby; brother-in-law Bucky (Kim) Kerkhoff, his 4 children: Calvin (Martha) Holderby, Margaret (Ron) Marusich, Cheryl (John) Singer, and Ann Holderby-Brown; his niece Vickie McDonald; and 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way, 1 great niece, and 3 nephews. They are members of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church of Tarpon Springs, Fl.
He was born on March 13, 1927, in Funks Grove, Illinois. Tom grew up working on the family farm in Heyworth, Illinois, where he gained his strong work ethic. At 18, he joined the Army Air Corps and served as a teletype operator in Germany at the end of WWII. After the service, he attended the University of Arizona and graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering. He returned to Bloomington, Illinois, where he met and married Constance Kerkhoff. They were married 65 years and had 4 children. Working for the Illinois State Highway Department, Tom applied his civil engineering skills to numerous construction projects, including 3 clover leaf intersections on Route 80 as well as several bridges. They moved from LaSalle to Marseilles, where he built their dream home on 3 acres. Tom had a passion for gardening and country living gave him space to cultivate his love for gardening. Later he worked as a registered engineer/surveyor in LaSalle County. He later accepted a position as the Assistant Superintendent of Kane County Highways in Illinois.
Tom was a lifelong athlete. In high school he played basketball and baseball. During his working years, he enjoyed sports like volleyball, jogging, and distance cycling. After retiring, he increased the length of his daily bicycle jaunts and led the family in organized rides like the Amish Country Tour in Arthur, Illinois, and the Bloomington Pac-Rack, where the die-hards rode 220 miles in 3 days. He kept careful logs of his riding mileage and would average 250 miles a week at his peak. He continued riding up to 100 miles a week through December 2020, and had his last bicycle ride just a week before being hospitalized.
He loved his family and his grandchildren were a special blessing to him.
Visitation is open to the public from 12-1pm on February 22, 2021 at East Lawn Funeral Home in Bloomington, IL, with a service to follow.
Limitation for funeral service is 50 people.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Cancer Society; Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Palm Harbour, Florida; or to Suncoast Hospice in Pinellas, Florida
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